TOPICAL STUDY GUIDE FOR PROVERBS This list is based on the NIV English translation. Translations may vary in their understanding of individual proverbs. Every verse of Proverbs is included in this list. Verses included in more than one topic are marked with asterisks (*). Verses for which it was difficult to determine the correct topic are marked with question marks (?). The Christian faith is a practical faith. It helps us to live better and to avoid making damaging mistakes. This list shows you how the Bible is a guide for all aspects of our lives. WISDOM (discernment, practical insight) Exhortations to seek wisdom: 2:1-15 3:13-20 4:1-17* 10:23 14:33 15:14 16:16, 22 17:16 18:15 19:8 23:12, 22-25 24:3-4, 13-14 30:2-4 Both wisdom and folly attract us: 1:20-33 8:1-36 9:1-18 A way that seems right 14:12 16:25 Wisdom contrasted with self-confidence: 28:26 Wisdom prevents disaster: 3:21-26 Wise people contrasted with fools: 1. The outcome of their lives: 21:16 2. Their reputation, their effect on their parents: 10:1b 12:8 15:20 17:21, 25 19:13* 23:15-16 27:11 3. How well they succeed in this life: 3:33-35* 10:13 11:29 13:15 14:1, 3, 6, 18, 24 15:21, 24 17:2 19:3 21:20, 22 4. How they respond to correction: 13:19 17:10 19:25 21:11 5. Their anger or self-control: 14:16 19:3* 29:11 Page 1
The shame of a fool: 19:10 24:7 26:1 A fool annoys others: 18:2 27:3 29:9 A fool will not change: 26:11 27:22 How to treat fools: 19:29 23:9 26:3-5, 8, 10 How fools use wise proverbs: 26:7, 9 Wise people store up knowledge: 10:14, 13:16 14:8, 15 17:24 21:29 OUR EMOTIONS AND ATTITUDES 13:12 14:10, 13 15:15 17:22 18:14 25:20, 25 OUR CHARACTER The importance of a good reputation and a good character: 20:11 21:8 22:1 27:19, 21 Patience contrasted with hastiness: 14:17, 29 16:32 19:2, 19 Truth contrasted with falsehood: 12:17?, 19, 22 14:5, 25 15:4 19:5, 9 21:28 24:26 25:18 26:18-19, 28* 30:7-9* Kindness contrasted with cruelty: 11:16-17 12:10 17:13 Money contrasted with virtue: 16:8 19:1, 22 Pride and boasting contrasted with humility: 1. Pride: 11:2 13:7 16:5, 18-19 18:12 21:4, 24 2. Boasting: 12:9 25:27 22:4 26:12 29:23 30:11-14 27:1-2 30:32-33 Proverbs about envy and jealousy: 14:30 23:17-18 24:1-2 27:4 Page 2
Proverbs about love and faithfulness: 3:1-4 14:14 16:6 20:6 21:21 Proverbs about self-control: 4:20-27 25:28 Proverbs about overeating: 21:17 23:19-21 27:7 28:7 Proverbs about hypocrisy: 26:23-26 Righteous people contrasted with wicked people: 1. The blessings and success they experience in this life: 3:33-35* 4:18-19 10:3, 9, 16, 30 11:3, 5-6, 8, 10, 20, 23, 27 12:2-3, 13 13:6, 9, 21, 25 14:19, 32 15:6, 9, 26, 29 16:17, 31 18:3 20:7 21:18 22:5 28:1, 18 2. The outcome of their lives: 10:6-7, 24-25, 27-28 11:7, 18-19, 21, 31 12:7, 21, 28 14:11 13:22 16:4 17:11 21:12 24:19-20 29:16 3. Their mutual contempt for each other: 29:27 4. The effect they have on others: 11:30 13:5? The wicked destroy themselves: 21:7 22:8 26:27 29:6 OUR WORDS Self-control over our words: 10:19 11:12 12:16, 23 13:3 15:28 Gossip: 6:18 10:10? 11:13, 9 17:27-28 18:13 21:23 29:20 18:8 20:19 26:2, 20, 22 Good speech contrasted with evil speech: 10:11, 20-21?, 31-32 11:11 12:6, 18 15:2, 7 16:23 18:6-7, 21 25:23 Delightful words that help others: 16:21 18:4 Soft words: 25:15 Rash vows: 20:25 20:15 27:5, 9 Page 3
The consequences of our words: 12:14 13:2 17:20 18:20 OUR FAMILY LIFE Choosing a good wife: 11:22 12:4 18:22 19:13*, 14 21:9, 19 25:24 27:15-16 31:10-31 WORK and FINANCES Laziness contrasted with hard work and perseverance: 6:6-11 10:4-5, 26 12:11, 24, 27 13:4 14:4, 23 15:19 16:26 18:9 19:15, 24 20:4, 13 21:25-26 22:13, 29 24:10, 30-34 25:26 26:13-16 28:19 Sexual sins: 2:16-22 5:1-23 6:20-7:27 22:14 23:26-28 27:8 29:3 30:20 31:2-3 Unjust gain and dishonest scales: 10:2, 16, 22 11:1 13:11 16:11 20:17, 10, 23 21:6 28:8 Disciplining children: 13:24 19:18 22:6, 15 How we treat our parents: 19:26 20:20 23:13-14 29:15, 17 28:24 30:17 A loving home is better than a wealthy home: 15:17 17:1 Words about elderly people: 17:6 20:29 Putting up security for another person s loan: 6:1-5 11:15 17:18 20:16 22:26-27 27:13 Generosity contrasted with stinginess: 11:24-25 14:31? 18:1 19:17 21:13 Trust in riches: 11:4, 28 13:8 18:11 22:9 23:6-8 25:14 28:22, 27 Page 4
Pride in riches: 28:6, 11 Greed: 11:26 23:4-5 27:20 Poverty is not fun: 10:15 14:20 19:4, 6-7 Bribe-gifts : 13:6 17:7 28:20, 25 30:15 22:7 30:7-9* 18:16 21:14 Good and bad messengers: 13:17 25:13 26:6 How servants should treat masters: 27:18 How masters should treat servants: 29:19, 21 30:10 Miscellaneous financial advice: 3:9-10 20:14, 21 21:5 22:3 24:27 27:12, 23-27 Choosing our friends: 1:8-19 13:20, 18:24* 25:19 Friends and brothers compared: 17:17 18:24 27:10 Don t be friends with fools or the wicked: 3:31-32 4:10-17* 12:26 14:7 17:12 22:24-25 24:21-22 HOW WE TREAT OTHER PEOPLE Revenge: Our attitude toward enemies: 19:11 20:22 24:17-18 25:21-22 Being hasty to take other people to court: 24:28-29 25:8 Counseling and giving encouragement: 12:25 15:13, 23, 30 16:24 20:5 25:11 FRIENDSHIPS Peace contrasted with divisiveness Page 5
and mocking: 10:12 12:20 14:9 15:1, 18 16:7, 28 17:9, 14, 19 18:18-19 20:3, 22:10 26:21 29:8, 22 30:32-33* Accepting and heeding advice: 12:15 13:10 15:12, 22 Accepting correction: 10:8, 17 12:1 13:1, 13-14, 18 15:5, 10, 31-32 Bad advice: 12:5 17:4 16:20 19:16, 20, 27 20:18 20:30 27:17 29:1 Plotting evil against others: 3:29-30 6:12-15 12:12 14:22 16:27, 30 21:10 24:8-9, 15-16 29:10 Flattery contrasted with honest rebuke: 25:12 26:28* 27:6 28:23 29:5 Interfering in other peoples quarrels: 26:17 Being a gracious guest: 25:16-17 Confidentiality: 25:9-10 Injustice: 3:27-28 13:23 14:34 15:27 17:15, 23, 26 18:5 OUR SOCIETY 19:28 21:15 22:16, 22-23 24:23b-25 28:21 Giving mercy and justice to the needy: 14:21 15:25 17:5 18:23 19:12 Murder: 28:17 23:10-11 24:11-12 (?) 29:7 31:8-9 Rich and poor people are similar: 22:2 29:13 Enticing other people to sin: 16:29 28:10 Stealing: 19:24 22:28 The influence of alcohol: 20:1 23:29-35 31:4-7 Page 6
GOVERNMENT What the ruler (king) likes and dislikes: 14:35 16:12-15 20:2 22:11 Oppressive Leadership: 28:3, 12, 15-16, 28 29:2 Advice for kings: 11:14 14:28 16:10 17:7 20:8, 26, 28 A word about judges: 18:17 23:1-3 25:3 25:6-7 21:1 24:5-6 25:2, 4-5 28:2 29:4, 12, 14 RELIGION Confess your sin; do not keep it hidden: 20:9 28:13 The word of God is set: 30:5-6 The effects of being religious but not living a moral life: 15:8 21:3, 27 Guidance from God: 3:5-6, 11-12 16:1, 3, 9, 33 19:21 Fear of the Lord: 1:7 3:7-8 14:2, 26-27 20:24 21:2, 30 22:12 15:16, 33 19:23 28:5, 14 God knows all things and tests our hearts: 15:3, 11 16:2 Trust in the Lord: 10:29 18:10 17:3 20:27 21:31 29:25-26 LITERARY ELEMENTS Lists of things which are similar: 6:16-19 30:15b-16, 18-19, 21-31 Titles, introductions and other verses that do not fit in other topics: 1:1-6 10:1a 20:12 22:17-21 24:23a 25:1 27:14 30:1 31:1 Keeping the law: 28:4, 7, 9 29:18 Page 7